ON THE UPPER ST. JOHN'S. 135 



but had never been obliged to chase one in 

 this fashion. Perhaps there was a Jonah in 

 the ship ; for though I sympathized with the 

 boy, I sympathized also, and still more 

 warmly, with the otter. It acted as if life 

 were dear to it, and for aught I knew it had 

 as good a right to live as either the boy or I. 

 No such qualms disturbed me a few min- 

 utes later, when, as the boat was grazing the 

 reeds, I espied just ahead a snake lying in 

 wait among them. I gave the alarm, and 

 the boy looked round. " Yes," he said, " a 

 big one, a moccasin, a cotton-mouth ; but 

 I '11 fix him." He pulled a stroke or two 

 nearer, then lifted his oar and brought it 

 down splash ; but the reeds broke the blow, 

 and the moccasin slipped into the water, 

 apparently unharmed. Tliat was a case for 

 powder and shot. Florida people have a 

 poor opinion of a man who meets a venom- 

 ous snake, no matter where, without doing 

 his best to kill it. How strong the feeling 

 is my boatman gave me proof within ten min- 

 utes after his failure with the cotton-mouth. 

 He had pulled out into the middle of the 

 river, when I noticed a beautiful snake, short 

 and rather stout, lying coiled on the water. 



